I have found that working in groups
can be both a thrilling and daunting experience. At the very onset of the group
development, each person seem to be “unsure how to act around each other,” (O'Hair,
& Wiemann, 2012). But
as the group members continue to pool resources and build trust, the group
changes significantly. Once the goals are clearly established and the leader
has emerged, the “group identity grows stronger as members begin to realize the
importance of their roles within the group” (O'Hair, & Wiemann, 2012,
p.257). As the fervor for working together escalates, it becomes very difficult
to adjourn the group. I find that high- performing groups are the hardest to
leave. This is so, because all the group members understand the proverbial
“blood sweat and tears” and sleepless nights that were put into making ‘the
project’ a success.
The group that I participated in
that was the hardest to leave was the School Improvement Council (SIC) at the
High School where I taught in South Carolina (2007-2009). As a member of that
council, I participated in analyzing student performances, created statistical reports, and
collaborated with other committee members to develop strategies to improve
students’ performance in English Language Arts. I also authored the Pacing Guides
for (ELA) for 9th grade classes. These guides played an integral part in the
school's accreditation success with the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools (SACS). At the end of my two year tenure, I was saddened by the fact
that I had to leave. It was this group that helped to nurture me in
understanding and accepting diversity. Coming from a different cultural
background, I was given a great deal of privilege and freedom to communicate
with everyone without feeling intimidated. Many of our students did well
overall and we were able to instill a love of learning in others who were
making their decisions to go to college. Many parents too were happy with the
accreditation success.
At the end of the school year we had a dinner,
and I can clearly remember receiving monetary bonus for my success.
Additionally, I also performed one of my cultural poem pieces as a token of my
appreciation for being privileged to work with such a wonderful group of team
members.
I imagine
that I will be experiencing mixed feelings as I adjourn from my colleagues at
Walden. It has been a very enriching and rewarding experience thus far as I
collaborated, researched and communicated with my colleagues. It will not only
be a happy experience to receive my Master’s degree, but it would be rewarding
if “we could be provided with the opportunity to say goodbye to each other and wish
each other all the best in their future endeavors”(Adubi,2010).
I believe
that adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because it allows the members
to put everything into context and perspective. They will be able to highlight
what they have learnt and what they will take with them in their future work
from the experiences they gained from each other.
References
Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team
development: A case study. Retrieved from
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